Third Defendant Sentenced For Multi-County Vehicle Fraud Operation

BENTON — A federal judge has sentenced Alen Saric, 36, of St. Louis, to 87 months in prison for his role in a $1.7 million vehicle sale fraud scheme that targeted private sellers in Madison, Jasper, Bond and Fayette counties in southern Illinois.

Saric pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, interstate transportation of property obtained by fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The scheme involved using counterfeit cashier’s checks to purchase vehicles on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist from 2018 until August 2023.

According to court documents, Saric and co-conspirators issued more than $1.7 million in fake checks printed on security-enhanced paper bearing real bank names and logos but with fraudulent routing numbers. After acquiring vehicles with these bogus checks, the group resold the vehicles for cash before victims could discover the checks were worthless.

Co-defendants Valentino Colic, 34, and Almir Palic, 25, also of St. Louis, previously received prison sentences of 145 months and 51 months, respectively. Both were ordered to pay restitution exceeding $1 million collectively, with Palic responsible for a portion. Another co-defendant, Emad Hasanbegovic, 34, faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and identity theft and is scheduled for a court appearance May 21.

To conceal their involvement, the defendants used the names of prior victims to buy and sell vehicles, forging signatures on titles and bills of sale. They also used copies of victims’ photo IDs to impersonate them, repeatedly victimizing individuals by writing bad checks in their names.

U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft emphasized the importance of verifying checks from unknown sources.

“It’s important for the public to authenticate checks from people not personally known to them by confirming with the issuing bank or waiting until checks are accepted into their bank account before transferring property or otherwise sending funds, as criminals become increasingly skilled at creating fake checks to defraud consumers,” he said.

FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson highlighted the collaborative law enforcement effort behind the investigation.

“This investigation is a testament to the strength of collaboration across local, state, and federal law enforcement,” Johnson said. “This sentencing highlights efforts the FBI and our partners are making to ensure those who attempt to exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable.”

The fraudsters purchased vehicles across multiple counties in Illinois and transported them across state lines to Missouri. Colic and Saric admitted to driving the vehicles over state lines to facilitate the scheme.

The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the FBI Springfield Field Office, Metro East Auto Theft Task Force, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Illinois State Police, Illinois Secretary of State Police, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, and various local police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter T. Reed is prosecuting the case.

All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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